Shelters From the Past

    Pros

• Made from very heavy materials to protect from nuclear contamination.

• Most had air filters and air lock doors

• They have stood the test of time because they were built by people who knew how to build.

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    Cons

• They did not feel very comfortable

• Usually there was no plumbing for waste or running water

• No power for the most part

• No sump pumps

• No back door exists

 

Modern Shelters Should:

• Be made of a heavy material or marine grade concrete   

• Have superior drainage

• Have a sump pump

• Have an escape hatch

• Have a plumbing link from a well.

• Have a septic system or an alternate form of waste removal

• Be built with some comfort in mind. Power can run a television and entertainments system.

 

Pitfalls to Survival Shelter Building:

• Hiring a poor contractor. Make sure you check his or her references and credit scores   

• Not understanding the terms of the contract. Talk with a lawyer.

• Building it on your own without checking a soil sample with a soil engineer.

• Building in too high of a water table.